Wondering about the prize in the container.

Ok, we all remember as kids buying a box of Cracker-Jacks and having that wonderful anticipation of finding the prize. You know, all the boxes came with a prize. Some were better than others and if my memory is serving me correctly, it seems that way, way back when I was small, the prizes were a lot better. Now, I wonder if they just got cheaper over the years or if they seemed so much better to me when I was younger. Which do you think it was?



I believe that I have mentioned in past blogs that I have one weakness, or I suppose you could call it a vice. (OK, maybe I have more than one but I can’t think of any others right now.) My weakness is for Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream:



Oh my, just looking at the carton makes my mouth water.  (Slurp, slurp.)  So, you ask, what does my favorite ice cream have to do with Cracker-Jacks?  Well, I am getting around to telling what they have in common.  I done did find a prize in the ice cream.  I was sitting on the couch watching TV last night and eating what was left of the ice cream.  Why is it that the very last bite in the container always tastes the best?  Anyway, I bit down on something hard.  I just figured that it was a piece of ice, so bit a little harder and OUCH, it was not ice.  Got it dug out of my mouth and cleaned it up and found it was a bright shiny piece of metal, probably 304 stainless steel, since that is what the food industry uses.  Don’t believe me, well I took pictures.  Take a look at these:

I called the Blue Bell Corporate Office and talked to a nice lady. I first told her that I believed that I have single handedly kept them in business for the last few years, and that I loved their ice cream. Then I told her that I found a little prize in the last half gallon and went on to explain what it was and that I could send them pictures; I figured they would want to know. She said that they did want to know and will send me an envelope to put it in and return it to them so that they could figure out where it came from or what it came off of.

Now that I finished that half gallon, I guess I will have to go get another. Think I may be more careful before I swallow from now on. It didn’t upset me. I know things break and their ice cream is of the highest quality. Can’t wait to dig into another container, but really don’t want to find any prizes.


You all have a great day now, you hear?

Wondering about a wild flower and swamp update

I walked around the place and found an unusual small blue fuzzy flower.  I thought that it was pretty and thought maybe you would like to see it, too.

I also checked the status of the swamp since we had a couple of rains this month.  As you can see, there is just enough water in the two deepest places to just cover where the huge drought cracks were located:

We saw Conroe Penny set up at the flea market. Hope she survived the cold and the wind and sold a bunch of stuff. I took a picture of her, but I will send it to her and she can post it if she wants to.

It is down right cold here this morning. It is now at 30 degrees on the nose. First freezing weather this season, and the last for awhile or until the next arctic front comes through. Up north in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, there is nothing between the North Pole and there except a few strands of barbed wire. I know, because I used to live up north of Ft. Worth.


You all have a great day now, you hear?

Wondering about nothing in particular

Yesterday started out in the 70’s and ended up in the low 50’s. And it rained most of the day. I will not complain about the rain, can use all we can get. This morning it was 45 degrees. With the wind blowing, that is cold, but the sky is nothing but blue. It is going to be a nice, but cool, day.



I see that Lake Conroe Penny is going to set up at the same flea market that my wife and I go to every weekend that we are home. Will have to stop by her table and say “Howdy”. She picked a cool and windy day to set up there for the first time. I hope she has a warm jacket and I hope she sell everything she has.

Not much new going on this weekend. Still working on that same project. I am now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Of course, that is if my customer doesn’t find something else he wants in a hurry. Not going to complain too much, it is good to keep my hand in the work so that I don’t get rusty and I can always use a little extra money.


You all have a good day now, you hear?

Wondering what is attacking my trees.

I was out trimming back the brush and limbs that seem to over take my driveway if I don’t keep them in check.  Wasn’t so bad this last year because of the drought but the small stuff grew good and the trees either died or drooped some.  Remember the picture I posted a few weeks back:

I started out where the trees begin and was working my way back to the house and when I made the turn toward my house I found a tree that was attacked by something.  Now, I have heard of and seen the affects of pine beetles.  They can wipe out acres and acres of pine trees.  When trees get stressed by drought or some other unfavorable condition, the beetles have a better chance of getting a hold on them.  I never heard of them attacking hardwood trees.  This tree is not dead yet, but with so many holes in it, I can’t see it surviving:

This is not a small tree.  I took this picture to give you some a better perspective of its size:

I am sure someone out there has seen this before and can tell me what it is and if it will spread. I would really appreciate it. As far as I know, it could be an invasion from very small space aliens in their very small flying saucers or maybe something really weird? What you think?

Guess what? It just started raining a little bit!! Halleluiah!! May dampen our flea market trip, but it will probably be over by then. It seems I can’t remember when we had a rain that lasted more than a few minutes. OK, what did I say, it has stopped raining already, dang!


You all have a great day now, you hear?

Wondering if I got the whole nine yards? (Hope Not)

I have heard the expression “the whole nine yards” all my life and not until last night did I know how it got started. As I have told you before I watch a lot of shows on RFDTV and one of my favorites is “Larry’s Country Diner”. There are many reasons why I like it, but the main reason is the cameras are always rolling. They don’t care if someone goofs up or gets the words wrong. All the bloopers are left in. It is combination of a little of everything including a guest, usually from the classic country era but some new ones also. They give facts, they start every show with a bible verse, they pick out a year from the past and give some facts about it, show some pictures from that year, and tell what country song was popular. They also have a lot of comedy and everyone, even the audience gets in on the comic remarks. And then there is Nadine. I can’t explain Nadine, you got to experience her. Here is a couple of links to Nadine:



http://www.simpalife.com/nadine-on-larrys-country-diner/


http://www.nadinenadine.com/


Sorry about getting carried away, I will get back on the subject, “the whole nine yards”. Back in WW2 the belts of 50 caliber ammunition that the fighter planes used were exactly 27 feet long. So, if a pilot used up a whole belt of ammunition on a target, it was said that he gave them the whole nine yards. Well, you can believe that or not. I think that could very well be true. Were any of your fathers WW2 fighter pilots or ground crew? If so, did any mention that phrase? Even if it isn’t true, I liked the explanation.


Being that this is Black Friday, I may not venture too far from the house, but you all do what you want and have a great day now, you hear?

Happy Thanksgiving and my blog may have a problem.

First, let me wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving and take time to give thanks for all your blessing. Today, don’t think of any of your problems, just your blessings, and I bet they would outnumber your problems anyway. We have nothing special planned for today. I will probably just work some.



I have been told by a couple people that they have problems with my blog. They said that when they are reading it, they can not pan down the page smoothly. They say it jumps way down in quick jerks and it is hard for them to read more than what shows up first. I brought my blog up by just going to it by way of its address, not going through my blogger dashboard, and I have no trouble with it. I do not experience any jerkiness when I pan down. It works smooth on my computer. So what is the trouble?


Please tell me, do any of you have this trouble? Do any of you know how to fix the problem? Why is it not a problem on my computer? I sure hope you all have some answers for me. If my blog is a problem to read, maybe I should stop posting until I find out what is going on. Fist thing is to find out how many of you are having a problem with my blog.


Thank you for your help, and have a great Thanksgiving day, you hear?

Wondering; that picture can’t be right!!

I saw a picture the other day and although it was beautiful, it looked surreal to me.  It looked like something out of science fiction.  It just couldn’t be real, although it looks so much like a photograph.  Here, see for yourself:

I guess anyone’s first reaction would be, “Wow, ain’t that a pretty picture!!” But it only took a second or two for me to question it. Things didn’t look right. No, I have never been to the North Pole where this picture was claimed to be taken, but I figure physics would be the same there as anywhere, well, almost anywhere. Physics may not be the same in a “black hole”.



OK, I am not going to take up any more of your blog reading time with the explanations when I found a much more detailed explanation on the internet, a lot better than I could explain. But there is so many things wrong with this “picture” that it is purely science fiction. Go to this site and check out the explanation: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/11/17/an-unreal-picture-of-sunset-at-the-north-pole/
It is a simply beautiful day here today; even the weather man rated it as going to be a “10”. Cool this morning with a high only in the 70’s with a crystal blue sky. You all have a great day now, you hear?